Taylor awarded $2.6M contract for Temple Building work

R-J Taylor General Contractors Inc., which does business as Taylor, the Builders, has been awarded a $2.6 million contract for renovations at the Temple Building on Franklin Street in Rochester by developer Costanza Enterprises LLC.

The Penfield general contractor is working with local firms 9x30 Design Architecture LLP and Smith + Associates Architects PLLC on the design and renovation of floors nine through 12, which are to be turned into 31 one- and two-bedroom loft apartments.

Construction work is underway, with an overall project completion date slated for December.

"The continued revitalization of the grand Temple Building exhibits the growing opportunities for upscale city living," Taylor president Karl Schuler said in a statement.

The Temple Building is converting four existing commercial floors into residential lofts, increasing the total number of lofts in the building from 51 to 81. The 30 new units average just more than 1,000 square feet and are comprised of 13 one-bedroom units and 17 two-bedroom units, officials said. The lofts will feature amenities, such as new bamboo floors, exposed brick walls and updated high-end kitchens.

This project represents the third phase of modern redevelopment for the building, dedicated on Sept. 7, 1925 as a fourteen-story "Skyscraper Church." Phase one, occurring in 2001, featured the entire infrastructure of the building being replaced. In 2010, 10 loft units were added to the second and third floors.